Galaxy hunting : Ursa Major.

[cotterless45]

Waiting for the big bear to rise I had a quick scan of Auriga:

NGC 1931 in the 15mm Sw Panorama showed a lovely cluster with nebulosity to the middle. NGC 1664 was densely packed with stars. IC 2149 popped out as a small planetary nebula, it is one of the finest blinkers at x120. With a UHC filter there was more nebulosity in IC 410 in NGC 1893 , a neat open cluster . The sky was incredibly dark and clear. UMa had risen above the neighbours and with a bottle of cold ginger beer and sacrificial jelly babies it was time to try Burnham's list.

what was surprising was the amount of really bright galaxies as well as those quite faint ones that could be seen.

NGC 2789 was bright . NGC2681 was bright at x58 at x120 it showed a good core and structure, well worth seeking out.GGC2685 was elongate and NGC2841 was bright at x120, worth finding.NGC2768 and NGC2985 were bright and I found NGC3077 as the Lhs top star of a triangle.NGC 3 310 had a bright core at higher mags, worth finding.3348 was a bright streak from an adjacent field star.NGC 3556 was a bright long streak with averted vision.

M97 made a neat change of nebulous fluff. NGC 3610 was placed in the middle of an arrow of stars and NGC 3613 between two field stars.NGC 3675 made a neat triangle with a pair of stars as a bright streak. NGC 3893 was above the top of a triangle of stars. NGC 3896 had a bright core to the Lhs of a mini Orion group of stars. NGC 3942 had a bright core and was central to an arc of stars like a mini Hydra. NGC 3945 at x120 seemed to have some double feature, find it in a square at the rh base. NGC 3949 had a bright core at x120. NGC 3953 at x120 was found under the rh end of 3 faint stars by averted vision. NGC 3998 was in a group of four stars , this being the non stellar one.

NGC4206 was Sw of a bright field star and had a bright core. NGC 4036 was in the middle of a mini Auriga group and at x120 was elongate with a bright core, NGC 4041 is in the same fov, but not as bright. NGC 4051 was faint by averted vision in a line of stars. NGC4088 faced an open V, quite bright. NGC 4100 was elongate to the Lhs of a bright pair of stars. NGC 4102 had a neat core above a mini Leo group, I couldn't find NGC 4111. NGC 4157 was a streak to the Lhs of the brightest field star at x58. NGC 4605 was a neat bright shape and NGC 5322 was bright and compact.M101 looked vast at x58. NGC bottle of pop and NGC jelly babies were gone and a load of cloud rolled in.

views were through 200 Orion Optics using a 21 , 10 mm Hyperions and a SW 15mm Panorama.

Thankyou for wading through this, there are a few good ones , clear skies,

Nick.

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

Great report of a great session. Quite a few I objects I have not spotted yet. NGC 1931 is one, and NGC 2685, NGC 2789, NGC 3556, NGC 3896, NGC 3942 (I do have 3941), NGC 4206, NGC 4100, NGC 4102, NGC 4157, NGC 4605, and NGC 5322 are all on the to-do list for me now. I like your comparisons of asterisms to constellations.

[Double Kick Drum]

Great report and fantastic area of sky: my UMa galaxy count is even higher than Virgo (30 vs 23 at the moment).

I recall that NGC 2681, NGC 2841 and NGC 2768 are three of the brightest non-Messier galaxies and suitable for smaller apertures, not to mention the two feinter companions of M81 and M82 that I mentioned in another thread a couple of days back.

Thanks for sharing!

[mdstuart]

Nick

It was certainly great last night. Very clear. I loved your report...and comparing to my notes.

NGC 2789 was bright .Hmm not seen..

NGC2681 was bright at x58 at x120 it showed a good core and structure, well worth seeking out.G

Yes my notes say this is bright (2 on my scale) and took direct vision well.

NGC2685 was elongate

A small but bright galaxy (2 on my scale). Looks lovely in the eyepiece was my notes.

and NGC2841 was bright at x120, worth finding.N

One of my favorites! Lovely large oval between two stars.

GC2768

A bright easy to see galaxy even with direct vision.

and NGC2985 were bright

This is an averted vision smudge to me..

and I found NGC3077 as the Lhs top star of a triangle.

Yes this one is near M81. A bit like a faint M32..

NGC 3 310 had a bright core at higher mags, worth finding.3

Small round patch ( brightness level 1)

3348 was a bright streak from an adjacent field star.N

Small but bright level 1 object in my notes

NGC 3556 was a bright long streak with averted vision.

Not seen....one to check out..

M97 made a neat change of nebulous fluff. NGC 3610 was placed in the middle of an arrow of stars

Small smudge...my notes are so technical

and NGC 3613 between two field stars.

Another small smudge level 1 galaxy

NGC 3675 made a neat triangle with a pair of stars as a bright streak.

Now this is nice. Level 2. Fine large oval shape. Easy to spot in low power lens.

NGC 3893 was above the top of a triangle of stars.

Faint oval galaxy. Hints of structure, a mag 13.8 star is just seen on one end of the galaxy.

NGC 3896 had a bright core to the Lhs of a mini Orion group of stars.

Not seen....one to check out..

NGC 3942 had a bright core and was central to an arc of stars like a mini Hydra.

Not seen....one to check out..

NGC 3945 at x120 seemed to have some double feature, find it in a square at the rh base.

Small level 1 circular galaxy

NGC 3949 had a bright core at x120.

Not seen....one to check out..

NGC 3953 at x120 was found under the rh end of 3 faint stars by averted vision.

My notes say brighter than NGC 4102 which I must have seen on the same night.

NGC 3998 was in a group of four stars , this being the non stellar one.

Yes my note is this is a faint circular level 1 object

NGC4206 was Sw of a bright field star and had a bright core.

Not seen....one to check out..

NGC 4036 was in the middle of a mini Auriga group and at x120 was elongate with a bright core,

Long level 2 oval

NGC 4041 is in the same fov, but not as bright.

Large bright level 1 circular galaxy..why do I sometimes say bright for a level 1...I suppose its because I did not score it as 0.5 (only averted vision?)

NGC 4051 was faint by averted vision in a line of stars.

Large diffuse object only visible with averted vision (level 0.5)

NGC4088 faced an open V, quite bright.

Faint glow like M1! Level 1

NGC 4100 was elongate to the Lhs of a bright pair of stars.

Large extended slither of low sbr level 1 - VERY NICE

NGC 4102 had a neat core above a mini Leo group, I couldn't find NGC 4111.

4102 was a faint featureless galaxy. 4111 is a nice edge on galaxy level 2 but small...Try it again it is worth it!

NGC 4157 was a streak to the Lhs of the brightest field star at x58.

At the limit of visibility level 0.5!

NGC 4605 was a neat bright shape

Nice easy target level 2

and NGC 5322 was bright and compact.

Bright circular object

M101 looked vast at x58.

I am blown away when you go back to an M galaxy after a list of faint NGC ones...

How did you do so many. I do about one every 15 mins making a little sketch as I go!

Great report..I can see your eight inch is picking off all the level 1 and 2 objects I have seen plus a few 0.5 ones. Your skies must be pretty reasonable and I think you have a better southern horizon??

Mark